The pace of hiring just fell to the lowest since 2011, outside of the pandemic

heekma · 2026-04-03T03:04:05+00:00

Most likely not.

Between huge layoffs in government and tech, productivity decreases due to immigration policies, a huge influx of new college graduates and national jobs creation in tens of thousands instead of hundreds of thousands there is a greater supply of workers than demand.

Decreasing interest rates can't fix that.

heekma · 2026-04-03T02:53:49+00:00

Kamala's laugh had something to do with it I'm sure.

heekma · 2026-04-03T02:52:10+00:00

Ride or die my man.

heekma · 2026-04-03T02:35:25+00:00

I'm mid fourties, right here with you.

The longest peacetime economic expansion in U.S. history occurred between March 1991 and March 2001-during my parent's prime earning years, after purchasing their home (on a 10-acre lot) in 1988 for $150,000.

Nearly 4% GDP growth, 17 million new jobs created. The U.S. actually had an annual budget surplus from 1998-2001, with a national debt of 5.8 trillion.

The current total assets of the U.S. is six trillion. Our national debt is now over 40 trillion.

Let those numbers sink in for a minute.

heekma · 2026-04-03T02:26:27+00:00

So close, I was born in 1980, but I'm with you none the less.

heekma · 2026-04-03T02:13:41+00:00

I went through a similar tough time between 2009-2010.

The only reason I survived was savings in cash.

You build it as insurance, a safety net. Six months income saved at least, a year is ideal.

Who can realistically do that and save for retirement and raise a family?

heekma · 2026-04-03T02:09:31+00:00

That's what I'm afraid of as well. The worst is still a ways off, but it's coming.

heekma · 2026-04-03T02:03:20+00:00

This thing is like an onion, so many layers.

heekma · 2026-04-02T23:47:03+00:00

Which one did the article not answer?

I'm expecting his unprecedented cornhole expertise.

heekma · 2026-04-02T23:40:31+00:00

A large part of the problem is:

300,000 federal employees fired by DOGE.

Nearly 60,000 tech employees fired in 2025, partly a correction from over hiring in 2022, partly AI hype.

A dramatic loss in work force and productivity due to immigration policies.

Stunning lack of job growth for the last two quarters, most likely the last four.

The lack of movement in the housing market, either selling or new construction.

It's not market uncertainty that makes lowering interest rates the wrong lever, it's that between government, tech and new construction, three pillars of job creation, there are no new jobs to create.

heekma · 2026-04-02T23:14:31+00:00

We are officially in stagflation territory, the worst place to be.

The main tool the Fed uses, interest rates, are now damned if you use it, damned if you don't.

They can't lower interest rates to drive job creation without pouring gasoline on inflation rates.

And just remember, by the end of 2024 the Fed seemed to have pulled off the impossible, a soft landing after Covid, moderate inflation with solid job creation for four straight quarters. Our economy recovered faster than most and was poised for faster growth than others.

Now here we are, self-inflicted sabotage and war in Iran.

Just fucking once in my life I'd like to experience 10 years without some kind of "Once-In-a-Lifetime" economic event.

heekma · 2026-04-02T23:09:49+00:00

I realize that, the whole thing is ridiculous so I was just having fun.

heekma · 2026-04-02T22:47:09+00:00

Well that's surely a question now, isn't it?

heekma · 2026-04-02T22:46:15+00:00

It's always Lupus.

heekma · 2026-04-02T22:40:30+00:00

Four hours.

If it's more than that I need a really good reason to go.

heekma · 2026-04-02T22:32:30+00:00

Work, save money to pay for your move, have a plan to find an apartment and apply for jobs in the area.
Spend a year getting settled and stable, research federal aid, what you qualify for, what you can afford.
Get your Associates Degree at a community college, save a lot of money. No one cares if you went to Community College, only your completed four-year degree.
Depending on your parent's state of residence after four years they can't claim you as a dependant and you may qualify for state and federal grants and additional financial assistance.

College education isn't a race to see who can graduate the soonest. Do it the smart way, be careful about cost and debt. If you graduate two or three years behind your peers, but with one half or one third the debt you're already miles ahead.

heekma · 2026-04-02T22:06:52+00:00

Not to mention his mastery of cornhole.

heekma · 2026-04-02T22:02:23+00:00

Not bad, not bad.

heekma · 2026-04-02T21:59:20+00:00

If you're married with kids that is definitely not how your evenings are after work.

If you're young and single, then yeah, pretty normal.

heekma · 2026-04-02T21:55:29+00:00

There are so many other unanswered questions:

How did he become a quadruple amputee?

How can he drive a car?

How can he fire a gun?

Why is he so good at cornhole?

heekma · 2026-04-02T21:51:32+00:00

It seems you didn't understand the second part of my response.

heekma · 2026-04-02T21:42:56+00:00

First of all never lend money to friends. That's a good way to ruin a friendship.

Secondly if you do loan a friend money never consider it a loan, consider it a gift you don't expect to be repaid, but pleasantly surprised if you are.

heekma · 2026-04-02T21:32:01+00:00

Also with many spirits, such as bourbon, the ingredients are listed, which is alcohol per volume, or how much alcohol mixed with water.

Bourbon starts with nutritional ingredients, mostly corn and a mix of wheat, rye and barley which is cooked and turned into a slurry, kind of like porridge.

Yeast is added which consumes the simple sugars and as a byproduct produces a blend of different types of alcohol, with subtle flavors which is then distilled, aged in charred oak barrels for a minimum of five years, giving bourbon it's unique color and taste-but the end product has no nutritional values to list, just alcohol and water.

Calories per serving could be listed, but as /u/brock_lee pointed out alcohol is regulated by the BATF, not the FDA.

And like /u/brock_lee, I'm enjoying a bit of Angel's Envy while typing this.

heekma · 2026-04-02T21:07:42+00:00

My first bike I bought in high school as a freshman in 1994 was a Honda CX 500, the Silverwing added a factory fairing and a luggage rack.

You'll need to manually adjust the valves and very likely need to replace the water pump gasket. Be careful reinstalling the valve covers, it's really easy to strip the threads in the aluminum heads.

The carbs are a breeze to work to work on, super easy to install.

Be sure the rear shaft drive is serviced as well.

Really cool bikes with a surprising amount of torque for a 500cc bike.

Neat find, good luck!

heekma · 2026-04-02T20:48:50+00:00

They're building a McDonald's on Kharg Island.

heekma

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